Yagi Toshinori wasn't often an impulsive man, but he was amused at himself for the situation he now found himself in as a result of one of those rare rash moments. The message from Melissa had been a surprise, but the longer he thought about this trip, the more excited he got. So, it made sense he'd want to share this excitement with two of the most important people in his life, right?

"I am here! Waiting to ambush young Midoriya on his walk home from Yūei!" he called out cheerfully as he ran towards the surprised green-haired boy frozen on the sidewalk. "Hi!" Really, he shouldn't still be keeping up his hero form after being forced to stay in it for so long earlier in the day - it really was becoming excruciating at this point - but dammit, he was too excited to wait on a taxi, and the plane he'd chartered was already waiting!

"Huh? What are you doing here?" the teen exclaimed.

Toshinori released the hold on his quirk, and with a puff of steam and a couple coughs he was in his emaciated form again. "Young Midoriya, there's a place called I-island. You ever heard of it?"

All Might realized his mistake as enthusiastically the boy began word vomiting every fact he knew about the island. Usually, Toshinori was annoyed whenever his student began muttering like this, but he was in good enough spirits to more or less ignore it. After indulging the teen a few seconds, he tried to grab Midoriya's attention again. "You wanna go there with me?" he nearly had to yell to break through his rambling.

His successor looked stunned a moment, and he really had to wonder how long it would take the kid before he got over being so awestruck by the hero. Midoriya had come a long way in the year he'd known him, but he still seemed shocked every time All Might wanted to talk to him. "Really? You want us to go together?" he asked with wide green eyes.

"I don't mean we'll just be goofing off. As my successor, there are lots of tricks of the trade you'll need to learn about," he explained, and really it was a pretty good excuse.

For Hara, he didn't quite have an excuse like that.

After waiting on the kid to hastily pack a bag and tell his mother bye, the hero and his protégé climbed into the taxi Toshinori had called for while he waited. "There's one more place we've got to stop before we head to the airport," he told the boy seated beside him as he pulled out his phone.

The phone rang twice before a grumpy voice on the other end said, "I sure do hope you're calling to tell me what this is all about, finally."

Toshinori coughed. "I'll explain when I see you, we're on our way to pick you up now."

"'We'? Who else is in on this? You can't just jet in, tell me to pack a bag and then leave, Yagi!"

"Young Midoriya is with me," he said, glancing at the kid and noting how he was very carefully trying to look like he couldn't hear the phone conversation. The boy had manners, at least, because Hara was definitely being loud enough on the other end that Midoriya could probably hear every word. "Just, trust me, okay? It's a good surprise."

"Fine. I'll be waiting outside," she growled, before hanging up.

"Uh, was that Hara?" Midoriya asked curiously. "She's coming too?"

"Yes. This is a good opportunity for her to network. After her mission with Yūei is over, she could make a fresh start if she wanted," Toshinori explained lamely, rubbing the back of his neck. He knew it was a poor reason, but he couldn't tell the boy the truth was simply that he wanted her there, of course.

The taxi pulled up outside the apartment building, and there she was, glowering at him when he opened the door. "Now, I know you're wondering what's going on," he started.

"No shit," she grumbled as he took her duffle bag from her and placed it in the trunk.

"Stop sulking. I told you, you're going to like this," he tried to convince the dark-haired woman.

She slid into the car's back seat, followed by the tall blonde, and even while in a grumpy mood couldn't seem to resist the opportunity to make a joke. "Hey, Midoriya. Is All Might kidnapping you too?" she greeted the teen.

"Kidnap?! What, no!" he squeaked and Hara laughed.

"Okay, well then can you tell me where we're going?" she asked, flinging an arm around the boy's shoulders playfully. Really, Toshinori should have thought about the fact that three of them would have to share the backseat and gotten a bigger taxi. Too late now though. He would just have to ignore the way her side was pressed against him as she sat in the middle seat.

"Uh... All Might?" Midoriya asked for help, obviously not wanting to say anything until the hero did.

The hero rolled his eyes. "I-island," he told her finally. Blue-green eyes blinked up at him owlishly for a moment before a grin spread across her face.

"Neat. Now why couldn't you tell me that before?" she inquired.

"I thought it would be a nice surprise. I'll remember in the future not to surprise you with anything again though, since you seem to dislike it so much," he replied dryly.

"Good," she said, satisfied. He was interested to note she hadn't asked him why she was coming with them, but he wasn't going to complain now that he was back in her good graces.

"So why the sudden trip to I-island?" she asked after they reached their destination and were boarding the charter plane.

Toshinori coughed lightly. "Yes, sorry about the short notice you two, but I only just got the invitation today myself," he explained apologetically. "I-Expo is this weekend, and I was offered an early access pass."

"Are you sure it's okay that we come with you?" Midoriya asked, taking a window seat. Hara sat in the same row at the opposite window, instantly leaning the seat back and closing her eyes. They had the whole plane to themselves, but honestly Toshinori wouldn't even have considered sitting anywhere else besides the seat in between the two. In any case, he preferred the aisle seat anyway so he could stretch out his legs.

"Don't even think twice about it," he said dismissively. "The invitation was clear, and I'm welcome to bring whoever I want as my guest."

"But doesn't that usually mean a family member?" the teen asked with slight trepidation. On the other side of the aisle Hara cracked open an eye and gazed at him curiously, obviously wondering how he would answer, because he wasn't wrong. While it wasn't technically specified, usually that sort of offer was meant for a spouse or for children.

"I think you're forgetting that the two of us are connected by something far thicker than blood, young Midoriya," Toshinori reminded him. "We will forever share the bond of One for All."

"Right!" he replied cheerfully.

"So, I'm the one crashing the party then, huh?" Hara said, closing her eyes once more but smirking even as she sank further into the seat. "No way you can stretch it to make me an honorary family member."

"Like I said, the invitation said I could bring whoever I wanted," he replied. By now the plane had begun its ascent, and looking out the window behind her he could see the city dropping away below.

She giggled, opening her eyes again and instantly he was on alert from the mischievous gleam shining in those ocean blues. Dear god, please behave in front of Midoriya, he begged silently.

"Although, I guess if it's someone who doesn't know us, they'd make their own assumptions anyway. A man, a woman, and a kid - seems pretty legit I guess," she teased, and while that certainly wasn't the worst joke she could have made, he still sputtered for a moment while Midoriya let out a surprised yelp.

"Miss Hara!" he scolded, not really as irritated as he probably should be.

"Oh, come on, All Might. You know I was just kidding," she replied unperturbed.

Midoriya laughed nervously. "You look a little young to pass as my mom, don't you think?" he said, leaving Toshinori shocked that the kid was playing along.

Hara snickered and sat up. "Well you know how I can make myself look younger, right?" she asked, eyes light. "I can look older if I want too. The oldest I've ever tried to pass for is early thirties, and that was a couple years ago, so I could probably do better now." Interestingly enough, she sounded quite proud. "Maybe thirty-five, max? That's old enough to have a teenager," she mused. Toshinori couldn't believe this conversation was actually happening, and he groaned as he ran a hand over his face.

The vigilante glanced at him and the evil gleam diminished slightly - but only slightly. "You are aware there's a handful of people at the school who think Midoriya's your secret kid, right?" she asked.

Toshinori just about choked. "What!?" he exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, Todoroki said something like that once," Midoriya added thoughtfully.

"Rumors fly around high schools, and you two aren't very good at subtlety," she said with a shrug.

Yeah, I've heard that from a couple of people lately, he thought a little sourly. I probably shouldn't be surprised that some people have gotten that idea, though. It's better they think that than find out the truth, I guess.

"But, regardless of who anyone thinks I am, I plan on enjoying the expo as an adult, not a kid," Hara said, playing with a strand of her hair. "Once we get into the city, you think I should run into a store and grab some temporary hair dye to go the extra mile? Last thing I need is for someone to recognize me here." She then laughed. "Hey, Midoriya, what if I dyed it green? That would be a hoot, huh?"

"Geez, then people really might think you're my mom. No thanks," the kid pouted, making the woman laugh harder.

"That's a bit overkill, don't you think?" Toshinori asked, raising a brow.

"Maybe. But it's just as fun to mess with him as it is to mess with you," she said lazily, leaning her head back and closing her eyes again. "I'm going to catch some shut eye while I can. You two enjoy your father-son bonding over there," she yawned.

"Yes dear," the hero couldn't help but shoot back. Hara simply giggled and turned her head away. "Honestly, I might see if I can manage any sleep too. It's a five hour flight, so get comfortable," he told the boy next to him, who moments ago had been glancing in between All Might and Hara with a thoughtful, almost concentrated look. Toshinori was well aware his student had seen them together that night at the karaoke bar, but so long as Midoriya didn't ask him about it, he wasn't about to bring it up either.

"Yeah, okay. I'm just going to read about the expo for a bit," he said, pulling out a little pocket guide on the island. By the look on his face as he shot one last look across the aisle though, the hero was a little worried that the boy suspected something.

There's nothing to suspect, he thought, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. We're just friends, he told himself firmly. Strangely, reclining here on the plane had nearly the same effect on the hero as whenever he fell asleep with Hara. Something about the quiet movements of another person - or in this case two persons - put him at ease. Strange, really, since times like these was when he was most vulnerable. As a hero it would make more sense for him to feel more secure alone. However, across the aisle he could just hear Hara's gentle snoring, and the occasional rustle of paper on his other side as Midoriya would turn a page relaxed him. Within minutes, he was dreaming.

Shockingly, he slept through most of the flight, waking up only once about two hours in when a soft weight brushed against his right arm. Midoriya had dozed off too, expo book hanging from his hand. The messy mop of green hair pressed against his arm, and All Might smiled as he reached across and picked the book up before it could tumble out of the sleeping teen's grip. Setting it on the table in front of them, he tried to move as little as possible so as to not displace the boy. Midoriya had grown so much since they first met, and at times he almost didn't recognize the young man he was becoming. Yet right now, he was reminded again that he was still just a child as sleep smoothed away the worry and focus the boy always carried on his face. Pride and fondness were the two strongest emotions Toshinori felt as he looked down at his protégé, and he fell back asleep again minutes later still smiling.

I-island was proving to be just as fantastic as I'd always heard it was, and as the three of us stepped out of the airport - the boys in their hero costumes and I in my casual clothes - I felt an overwhelming sense of wonder at the sights spread out before me. The view was out of this world - that is until suddenly a mob descended, swarming around All Might and screaming praises and inquires for autographs.

"Form a line!" he yelled jovially as Midoriya and I were nearly trampled to death.

"You know, that's actually the first time I've been in public with him in his hero form," I wheezed, finally escaping the crowd and dragging a slightly squished Midoriya along with me. "Since we're usually at school I forget that he is actually a full-blown celebrity sometimes."

"Yeah, I guess it's been a while since I've been anywhere outside of school when he's in his hero form too," Midoriya said, dusting off his clothes. "But I could never forget he's, well... he's All Might."

I looked at the boy with a contemplative stare, thinking about my next words. "I do. All the time, actually. I even have to remind myself to call him by his hero name around other people and not his actual name. There's so much more to him than this-" I gestured at the mob of adoring fans, "but I still shouldn't forget that this is a part of him too."

"You look... sad," the teen observed.

"You're too smart for your own good, you know that?" I said, forcing a smile. "But I guess I am a little. I'm a vigilante - I can't ever be a part of this. I don't really want fame or glory... that's not why I do what I do. I just want to help people, you know? But it still makes me a bit wistful I guess," I told him honestly. "I will always have to stay in the shadows."

"But, what about after you're done helping Yūei? Won't that open up more options for you with the connections you've made? You could probably become a real hero if you wanted to, right?" he asked.

I sighed. "It's not that simple," I told him tiredly. "My past isn't so squeaky clean, but that's a story for another time." A pair of tall blonde bangs was inching out of the crowd. "I think our travel companion is trying to make an escape."

Midoriya nodded and we made our way over to the other side, waiting at the bottom of the steps for the hero to finish signing autographs and taking selfies as he swam through the enthusiastic mass of people. It took at least another ten minutes before he managed to break free, and as he trotted down the steps towards us, a sudden wave of annoyance washed over me.

Why the fuck is he covered in lipstick?! a surprisingly possessive voice screamed in my head. "Looks like you're having a good time," I said, not meaning to sound so sarcastic.

"Hm?" He looked confused for a moment before his brows shot straight up in understanding. "Oh," was all he said.

Rolling my eyes, I held out my hand palm up. "Hand over the Kleenexes, Romeo."

He pulled out the little pack of tissues, and I gestured for him to bend down so I could reach his face. The little lipstick smudges were everywhere - and in different colors - and I tried to keep my face as neutral as possible as I began cleaning off the offending marks. A faint dusting of pink covered his cheeks, and I simply couldn't resist. "Man, these girls must have been desperate," I said low enough that Midoriya wouldn't be able to hear.

His eyes flashed and his crow's feet crinkled deeper in amusement. "Miss Hara, you're not jealous are you?" he purred, voice just as low.

Heat pooled in my belly, and I felt my face flush. "Of course not. Besides," I said, fighting to keep my voice even and quiet, "If I was going to kiss you, I wouldn't miss." His smile widened further at my words while I wiped away a mark beside his ear.

"The poor girls did have a fair way to jump. I wasn't exactly offering them my face you know," he replied. The boldness in his voice was something I usually only heard when he was in this form, and had he been in his true state I would have bet money he'd be blushing and stuttering his way through this conversation.

"You mean like you're offering it to me right now?" I wondered aloud coyly, using my hand to turn his chin to get another on his jawline.

Yagi chuckled quietly. "Something like that."

"So, you would let me kiss you then?" I asked quietly, casually - offhandedly even. Meanwhile my stomach was twisting in knots and my brain screaming at me, You're taking this joke too far, Mei! His eyes snapped to mine, and for a second, I was stunned by the intensity in his cyan gaze.

"Maybe if you asked nicely," he breathed.

I swallowed, insides in turmoil as I struggled to bring myself back to reality. We were in public - now was definitely not the time or place. Forcing out a laugh that really didn't sound all that convincing I stepped back. "Me, nice? Now that's funny, All Might," I managed while pushing the tissue pack back into his hand. "There, all cleaned up. Let's get on with it, yeah?" I prompted in a strained voice.

He straightened up and nodded, brow furrowed for a moment before the signature smile was back in place. "Right. I didn't expect to get stopped for so long. At this rate we're in danger of being late," he said, volume normal again so that Midoriya could hear him.

"Late for what?" the teen asked.

"Ah, I wanted to drop in on a dear old pal of mine who I haven't seen in quite a while," he explained while checking the time on his phone. "Sorry to spring it on you two, but would you mind coming along?"

"You mean I get to meet one of your friends?" Midoriya exclaimed excitedly. "Obviously, of course I'll go!"

"Is it such a good idea that I'm introduced to people?" I asked hesitantly, but All Might was already shaking his head before I could finish.

"No worries, this is someone you can trust," he said confidently. "But speaking of, they don't know about One for All or how I passed my quirk on, so keep everything under wraps, okay?"

"So, you trust this friend, but not enough to tell them about your quirk?" I questioned a little skeptically.

"It has nothing to do with trust in this case, and more to do with the fact that danger seems to follow anyone who knows the truth about my power," Yagi explained.

A strange springing sound reached our ears then, and the three of us turned to see a blonde-haired, teenage girl bounding towards us on what appeared to be some sort of pogo stick. All Might's grin spread further across his face when he saw her, and before I could even ask, the teen called out in English, "There you are, Uncle! Finally!"

Uncle? my inner dialogue repeated in shock. My astonishment doubled when she leapt off her pogo stick and straight into Yagi's arms.

The hero laughed happily as he swung the girl around and hugged her. "It's so good to see you, Melissa!" he replied in perfect English. All Might had warned us on the plane that most of the people here wouldn't be speaking Japanese, which made sense of course, and I was glad my American dad had been so strict about me learning his native language. Midoriya usually did well in our English lessons in class too, so it was likely he'd get by just fine while we were here also.

"Oh my gosh, it's been forever! I can't believe you're actually here!" She said excitedly. Yagi held the girl up by her waist, resulting in her feet dangling almost a meter off the ground.

"I'm truly grateful for the invitation. I almost didn't recognize you! When did you go and get so grown up?" he asked, holding her out further to get a better look at her. It was adorable, really.

"Well, I am seventeen now, you know. Much heavier now than the last time you saw me."

"Are you?" he laughed and lifted her up again, much to the girl's obvious amusement. "No!"

She giggled as he finally set her back down on her feet, and I glanced at Midoriya as the two kept chatting. "Think he's going to remember us any time soon?" I whispered, causing the kid to laugh nervously.

"You don't think this is the friend he was talking about, do you?" he wondered.

"Nah. It's a western thing to call close friends of your parents 'aunt' or 'uncle'. I'm betting this is his friend's daughter," I guessed.

"And Dave - where's he hiding?" Yagi asked the girl, and that's when it clicked.

Dave... he means David Shield, I thought with awe.

"Oh, he's in his lab. He had a breakthrough on some research he's been focusing on for years," the blonde girl said, before holding a finger in front of her lips. "Actually, he has no idea you're here - I thought I'd invite you as a surprise to celebrate his work."

"Ah, so that's what this is about. Give me the scoop, then," Yagi replied cheerfully and the two continued on, still apparently completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

"I think they definitely forgot about us," I whispered to Midoriya again, and he nodded as he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. Subtly, yet pointedly I cleared my throat.

"Oh! Young Midoriya, Miss Hara, allow me to introduce you to my friend Dave's daughter," All Might said, remembering his surroundings finally.

"It's really nice to meet you!" the girl said politely, nodding her hand to us. "I'm Melissa Shield."

Midoriya pulled off his glove and extended his hand to shake hers, and I was impressed he remembered the slightly more western tradition. "Hi, it's nice to meet you too," he replied in fairly decent English. "I'm a first-year student at Yūei High school, Midoriya Izuku."

The girl's eyes instantly zeroed in on the scars on his hand, and she flipped his palm over, examining them. With almost the same sort of focused energy Midoriya had when talking about heroes or quirks, the girl launched into musings about support items and asking questions about what kind of quirk the boy had. As she inspected his costume closer, the poor teen looked more and more flustered.

All Might cleared his throat much the same as I had done a moment ago. "And this young lady here is Hara Mei," he said, saving the blushing boy from further inspection.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Melissa," I introduced myself cheerfully, extending my hand as well. "I'm a friend of All Might's."

The girl's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah? Well, it's great to meet you then, Mei." She glanced quickly at her watch and then grinned at Yagi again. "Hey, if we hurry, we can surprise Papa at his lab. This way!" she directed. We followed her through the city until we reached a tall tower close to the center. Along the way, Yagi and Melissa continued catching up, and I couldn't help the smile as I watched him interact with the girl. Uncle may have been an honorary title, but it was clear he viewed her as family regardless. She talked about her schooling and caught him up with what her mother was up to as well. When we reached the lab, she held up a finger in front of her lips again signaling us to be quiet.

"I'll go in first, then you come in and surprise him, Uncle Might," she said before disappearing into the room we'd stopped in front of. From the other side we could hear voices, and Yagi was practically buzzing with excitement at the sound of one voice in particular.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" a man's voice from inside the room asked.

"Oh, you'll see. Since you completed the first stage of your research, I invited someone here to celebrate with us," Melissa's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Who could that be?"

"A person you dearly love," the girl set the stage, and that was apparently all the introduction All Might needed.

"Yes, I am here!" he called out, flinging open the door dramatically (All about the big entrance, as always, I thought with fond amusement). "Shaking with emotion for our heartfelt reunion!"

I peeked around the doorframe for my first look at the famous David Shield in person. The man stood frozen in place, shock written all over his face. "Toshi... All Might!?" he stuttered.

Yagi laughed and ran forward, sweeping his friend up in a giant hug. "I came all this way just to see you, Dave old buddy!"

"Well, Papa, are you totally surprised?" Melissa asked excitedly, seeming very proud of herself for pulling off the ambush successfully.

"Uh, yeah," the professor said in an almost dazed sort of voice, "Completely astounded."

"We both have Melissa to thank for that," Yagi told him. "Man, how long has it been?"

"Oh, come on, don't make me say it. I already feel old enough, you jerk," David laughed.

"You do have a point!" the hero said, laughing as well. "Glad to see you again, my friend."

"Agreed. I've missed you too," he replied and the two fist bumped.

Yagi finally seemed to remember us (he'd been doing that a lot today) and turned to Midoriya and I, still standing in the doorway. I hadn't noticed till now, but the teen beside me wore a look of shock and excitement as he stared into the room. "Young Midoriya, Miss Hara, allow me to introduce you to someone incredible - David Shield!"

"I know him!" the green-haired teen exclaimed before launching into full fan-boy mode. In just one breath he gave a nearly textbook-prefect summary of the professor, much to the entire room's amusement.

"It seems I don't have to introduce myself," David chuckled.

Embarrassment colored the boy's cheeks and he quickly bowed deeply. "Oh, sorry!" he squeaked.

"No, don't apologize," the professor told him with a smile.

Yagi chuckled before clapping the boy on the shoulder. "This is Midoriya Izuku, one of my students at Yūei." He let his hand fall, then took a step backward so he was standing beside me, "And the one hiding in the back is a dear friend of mine, Miss Hara Mei," he said, smile softening a fraction as he introduced me next.

"I'm not hiding, just waiting my turn," I grinned lazily, play punching the hero's arm before turning to the professor and holding out my hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," I said politely as we shook hands.

David's eyes flickered between Yagi and me, and I'd be surprised if his intelligent gaze missed the fact that when All Might introduced me, he placed his hand on my back rather than my shoulder like he did Midoriya - I certainly hadn't missed it. It was funny how such a small gesture still seemed that much more intimate.

We really are being bold today, aren't we, Toshinori? I thought giddily.

While my exterior appeared to those around me cool and collected, I was in complete chaos on the inside. It was honestly a wonder I was able to hold conversation at all right now as my brain fought to make sense of today. The reason Yagi had decided to bring me along on this trip was still unclear to me, and while initially I had just told myself it was because he wanted to spend time with his friend, I was becoming more and more confounded as the day went on. I mean, for fuck's sake, he was definitely flirting earlier just before we'd met Melissa. What was that all about? True, he was much more boisterous and even more charismatic in his hero form, but that short exchange had felt... deliberate. And now as he introduced me to his oldest friend, his posture as he did so indicated a closer relationship between us. At this point (putting aside my more romantic feelings for the man) I definitely considered him one of my closest friends. The fact that he felt comfortable enough to indicate he felt the same way in front of others threw me for an emotional loop.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Hara," David said with a smile. Yagi dropped his hand from where he'd placed it between my shoulder blades before subtly covering his mouth and coughing quietly. He did his best to mute the noise, but I knew what that sound meant. David looked at his friend and his eyes narrowed slightly as a small frown appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Listen, it's been a long time. Would you all mind giving All Might and me a little time to catch up?"

"Yeah, of course," Midoriya said immediately, ever willing to accommodate.

"Melissa, why don't you take our new friends on a tour around the expo?" David suggested to his daughter.

"Sure thing, Papa. Sounds like fun!" she agreed.

"Can't wait!" I said, casting one last glance in Yagi's direction. I didn't say it, but I hoped he could read it in my eyes: Call me if you need me.

He must have seen it because the hero smirked just the tiniest bit. "Go enjoy yourselves," he encouraged, and we said farewell.

Even in its early access stage, the expo was insane. The attractions and points of interest were beyond what I ever could have imagined. There were heroes from all over the world, and for once I thought I might geek out just as much as the young aspiring hero waking along beside me. When Melissa brought up the big party later that night, I stopped in my tracks.

"Oh, that man, I could kill him," I groaned.

"What's wrong, Hara?" Midoriya asked.

"All Might didn't tell me there was going to be a party! Dammit, I have nothing to wear," I said, tugging on a strand of hair that had fallen out of my ponytail.

"Really? He told me to bring formal clothes," the boy said in surprise. "He didn't say it was for a party, though."

"Ugh. He told me to bring 'something nice.' That could mean almost anything! All I have is a plain black dress, and this seems like a fancier event than that," I lamented. Midoriya looked rather bemused, which I guess I should have expected from a male.

Melissa on the other hand giggled, eyes understanding. "Well, there's all the normal city stuff here too. You could always go shopping for something!"

"Looks like I'm going to have to," I said, not exactly happy with the idea, but finding it better than the alternative. "Do you two mind carrying on without me?" I asked.

"You sure?" Melissa asked. Meanwhile, Midoriya's eyes went wide as he obviously realized that would leave alone with the blonde girl.

"Yeah, it's fine. I'll catch up with you later, 'kay?" I replied before waving and turning towards the shopping district. I'd been joking earlier about the hair dye, but dammit finding a way to dress myself up and still look unlike my normal self was going to be a challenge.

The formal wear shop I found was full of a ton of sparkly things that would normally have been way out of my price range. Cringing at the price tags, I dug through the racks while muttering an indiscriminate prayer that I might find something affordable. Finally, I settled on a pretty little silver number that was marked down for having an area on the hem that had frayed a tiny bit. When I tried it on in the mirror, the imperfection was almost invisible, though, so I figured I could live with it. The shoes weren't on sale sadly, but the strappy silver heels matched too well to pass up.

Heading towards the hotel with my finds, I again was astounded by the beauty of the man-made island. When I arrived at the address Yagi had told me earlier, I felt stunned as I looked up at the shining, elegant building. "Again, perks of the number one hero," I muttered to myself, shaking my head at how crazy it was I'd gone from my shitty apartment a few months ago to living in a penthouse and staying in five-star hotels. A familiar weight settled on my shoulders, reminding me how small I was in comparison, and making me feel a bit guilty. I didn't deserve to get to mooch off Yagi's greatness, and all the good things I had now were only because of him. Looking down at my shopping bags I grimaced, because even these items wouldn't have been possible if the hero hadn't kept refusing my offers to pay him rent.

After stepping into the room, the feeling didn't diminish any. A large, pristine bed along a tall window with a gorgeous view, as well as all the other elegant furniture in the room made me feel like I needed to be a somebody in order to stay here. This room was too nice for just a nobody.

I set about getting ready for the party, trying to lift my own spirits, and actually succeeding marginally after queuing up some music on my phone (and sampling a couple drinks from the mini bar) as I tried to let myself enjoy the process of getting ready. It was nice to get dressed up, and seeing my reflection show a woman instead of a child was rather refreshing as well.

The last bit of my hair was pinned, and I was almost ready when my phone dimmed the music and played my text alert tone. I zipped up the back of my dress as I peered at the screen, and then felt my mouth fall open at what Midoriya had just sent me.

"Oh, you have got to be fucking KIDDING ME!" I yelled.

Snatching my shoes off the bedspread where I'd tossed them, I didn't even bother to put them on as I ran out of the door and knocked on the room beside mine. I wasn't sure if Yagi had returned from hanging out with David Shield, but I really hoped so. If I didn't rant to someone right now, I might just accidentally start a fire.

Thankfully, the doorknob turned and before he could even open his mouth I groaned, "Yagi, I've got a problem."